This story was originally published byGrist.
Its almost that magical time of year that the Humane Society of America likens to a natural disaster.
And every year we just know its going to get harder.
Photo: Mario Tama (Getty Images)
Forover a decade,animal shelters across the country have noted kitten season starting earlier and lasting longer.
This past February, Dunns shelter held a clinic for spaying and neutering outdoor cats.
Its terrifying, Dunn said.
It just keeps getting earlier and going later.
Cats can go into heat several times a year, with each cycle lasting up to two weeks.
But births typically go up between the months of April and October.
One theory is that milder winters may mean cats have the resources to begin mating sooner.
Kittens may also be more likely to survive as winters become less harsh.
I would argue that temperature really matters, he said.
Then they bring them into shelters, resulting in rescue groups feeling like kitten season is starting earlier.
Cats are apex predators who can wreak havoc on local biodiversity.
Research shows that outdoor cats on islands have already caused or contributed to the extinction of an estimated33 species.
Wild cats pose an outsized threat to birds, which make up half their diet.
On Hawaii, known as a birdextinction capital of the world, cats are themost devastating predatorsof wildlife.
Rescue shelters, already under strain from resource and veterinary shortages, are scrambling to confront their new reality.
As the population continues to explode, how do we address all these little lives that need our help?
Were giving this everything we have.
This article originally appeared inGristathttps://grist.org/science/kitten-season-animal-shelter-cat-wildlife/.
Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
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